Need feedback on this Smoker's cough I have. I am at my wits end...?

I have a cough that's being going on for a long time, mostly when I try to sleep. I also used to smoke. When everything else checked out, the doc put me on something for stomach acid. He thinks I might have "silent GERT" which he explained as an acid reflux thing where you don't feel any stomach complaints but cough and sore throat, which I had from coughing all the time anyhow. We'll see how it goes, I just had the second pill last night and I'm sick with a cold anyways. Just thought it might be another possibility for you to have checked. As for now, nothing helps my cough settle for sleep like Original Fisherman's Friends cough drops, which you can find at pharmacies all over. They taste horrible but give you a window of time for you to fall asleep. Once I am asleep, the coughing doesn't seem to wake me up. Good luck.